Against Your Will
by Anna Barkov
Summary: Sarah Williams is a grown woman, finishing her final year in college. She moves out of her parent's house, taking all of her belongings with her. Sarah comes across the little red book that had changed her life forever and drowns herself in the memories of her experience in the Labyrinth. But what happens when she is forced to return? Could Sarah have genuine feelings for Jareth?
1. The Move

Sarah glanced around the room, double and triple checking that every last item was packed in one of the brown cardboard boxes. She walked to her vanity and checked the drawers, assuring that all of her supplies were packed away. She nodded to herself when she was sure her work was done and walked downstairs to let her father know she was ready to begin packing the boxes into her car.

Although she didn't want to admit it, she had finally grown up. Moving out of her parent's house was just the next step in confirming it. She had already purchased a small starter home about half an hour away, which was in a perfect location. She couldn't help but smile with excitement as she made her way down the slick wooden stairs.

The smile seemed to fly from her face as the noticed her younger brother, Toby, peering up at her from the bottom of the steps. Was she really so absorbed in her moving out that she completely forgot about him? She quickly stepped down the last few stairs and held out her arms, insisting that he give her a hug. She held his tiny body tightly against her own, her eyes wet. She couldn't cry now. Crying would only alert Toby that something was wrong. She took a deep breath and placed her hands on her brother's bony shoulders, holding him away from her so she could look into his eyes. "I love you Toby, you know that, right?" she said quietly. He simply nodded and sniffled. "I can always come back and visit, buddy. I am still super close by!" she said, a smile lighting up her face. He nodded and smiled with her, then hugged her one last time before running off and plopping down on the couch to watch TV.

Sarah reminded herself of why she came downstairs in the first place and then set off to find her father. There was no way she could carry those boxes down by herself. All of her possessions had only taken up a couple boxes, but boy, were they heavy! She tapped her knuckles on the door to her father's office a couple times before slowly opening the door. Sitting at his desk, he was perusing through an old photo album. He looked up as she entered and cleared his throat before closing the album and rising from his chair. "What do you need, sweetheart?" he asked her, his voice slightly shaking. Sarah looked at him knowingly and walked to him. Wrapping her arms around him, she said "Dad, I know it must be hard." She pulled away slightly to look up to his face. "But I'm ready to do this now. I'm almost done with college, anyway. It's inevitable." She pulled away completely, almost forgetting, once again, why she needed her father's help.

"I have finished packing, and the boxes are all stacked up in my room. Do you think you could help me carry them down to the car?" she asked politely, still fighting the tears that were threatening to spill down her cheeks. He silently nodded and followed her upstairs.

The boxes were stuffed into the back of her small Volkswagen in just a few minutes. She slammed the trunk of her car and went back into the house, reminded to grab her coat from the coat rack as a shiver ran down her spine. Winter was almost over, but it was still nippy outside.

Her stepmother was still no where to be found, but she didn't feel like asking her father of her whereabouts. As bad as she knew it sounded, she was ready to get going. Her dad was seated at the kitchen table, unfolding a newspaper. Sarah went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water before walking to her father and placing a kiss on his cheek. "I'm going to get going, Dad." she said, her voice quavering slightly. The paper slipped from his fingers as he stood and enveloped her small frame in a hug. She closed her eyes and fought back the tears, not wanting to make Toby upset. Her father released her and walked her to the door, inviting Toby to come walk her out. Toby smiled and grabbed her hand, pulling her along to her car.

Toby always liked the closing the car door, although Sarah never understood why. As he slammed the door shut behind her, she put the keys in the ignition, immediately turning on the heat to warm up a little. Toby ran to stand next to her father and waved as she began pulling away. Sarah smiled and waved as she pulled away, but as soon as they were out of sight, the tears spilled over and she gripped the steering wheel hard as she began the drive to her new home.

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><p><strong>Hi, everyone! I'm starting this new fic and I'm honestly not quite sure where I'm wanting this to go just yet.<strong>

**The rating is subject to change if I will it to, by the way.**

**As you can see, a title is not in place, but I think most writers usually don't have a title right off the bat, anyways.**

**I do hope you enjoy this as I write more, and please do not hesitate to give suggestions and write reviews. They are greatly appreciated!**

**Also, just wanted to throw this in real quick. Labyrinth characters are not mine. They belong to Jim Henson. I own all other characters :)**

**Thanks!**


	2. New Beginning

Sarah pulled up to her new house and parked the car outside the garage, wanting to leave enough space to be able to cart the boxes into the house. Sarah fumbled through her bag and found the key, then exited the cozy car to enter the house through the garage.

When the door unlocked, she was greeted by an inviting warmth that immediately enveloped her body. She quickly closed the door behind her, not wanting to let out any of the glorious heat. The door she had entered lead directly into the kitchen. The house, to her surprise, was already completely furnished. "Hm. I don't remember furniture being part of the deal," she said to herself. She inspected the kitchen before moving on to the other rooms in the house. Once she had wandered around the house completely, she went back to the car to begin carrying her things inside.

All the boxes were stacked in different rooms once she was finished. She first began unpacking the things for the home office. She kept all of her school papers and books organized on the desk, then moved on to the kitchen and unpacked the dishes and silverware her father had gotten her.

_"To start you off," he said, smiling, as he handed her the gift. Sarah unwrapped it gingerly, her face glowing._

She smiled to herself as she neatly stacked the plates and bowls in the cabinets, memories of that Christmas taking residence in her mind.

Sarah moved to her bedroom and began unpacking clothes and shoes into the armoire that was against one of the pale white walls. The furniture that was decorating the room was black and looked to be brand new. 'This sure was a nice price for being fully furnished,' she thought as she worked.

Sarah made the bed with clean sheets, which were a beautiful, pale lilac color. She threw a couple decorative pillows on top and then laid down to take a break. The heat in the house was nice, but not when you were carting heavy boxes around everywhere. She wiped the sweat from her brow and made a note to find the thermostat when she was finished. As she sat up, a lone box caught her eye in the corner of the room. Slightly confused, she walked over and sat on the cold wood floor and opened the flaps. Inside neatly sat all of her childhood toys; stuffed animals, music boxes, posters, books. She grinned as she sifted through the items, remembering her childhood as she scanned each one. She set them all out before her on the floor, inspecting them and trying to think of a place to put them.

After placing all the knick-knacks on an empty shelf of the bookshelf, she reached into the box and began stacking the books on the shelf, as well. She quickly read over the titles, many being fairy tales, she noticed. Titles such as Cinderella, Snow White, and The Wizard of Oz were among the many she caught glimpses of. The final book that was resting at the bottom of the box was very small. The cold, red leather of the cover chilled her hands as she plucked it from the box. The gold lettering on the cover practically screamed at her as the memories flooded back. _The Labyrinth, _it read. She winced as she remembered every little detail. To this day, Sarah still did not know if the whole thing was just a figment of her imagination, or if it was real. It seemed all too real to have been dreamt up- her friends; Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus. _The Goblin King. _ Her face grew hot as she was reminded of him. She remembered the way he looked at her, the way he said her name. The way she blatantly rejected him and threw his affection towards her back in his face. Although Sarah had been young and naive when she had visited the Labyrinth, his feelings had not been a mystery to her. She shook her head and tried to forget it all. 'It's not worth getting all worked up over,' she thought to herself. 'It's over now.' She stared at the cover just a moment longer before placing it on the shelf and going downstairs.

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><p>After making a quick run to the grocery store, her kitchen was stocked and her new home finally felt like <em>home<em>. She made a cup of tea and lit the fire place before settling down with her text book to begin studying for the exam she had coming up soon. She was in her final year of college and couldn't be more excited to finish it off.

She gazed into the fire, unable to concentrate on her studying. The memories of Jareth and her friends kept clouding her mind. She simply couldn't keep her mind focused. She put out the fire and set her cup in the sink before heading up to her room and getting ready for a shower. She undressed and wrapped herself in a fluffy robe and went to the connected bathroom to start the water. Once it was hot, she slinked into the shower and began washing her hair.

As she bathed, she couldn't help but think of her time in the Labyrinth. The whole thing was crystal clear in her memory. Yet before she had laid eyes on the book again, she had almost no memory of the journey at all. 'Strange,' Sarah thought as she massaged circles in her scalp. The hot water pouring down her body seemed to melt away the tense feeling from carrying boxes around the house. She climbed out of the shower and wrapped her hair in a towel before replacing her robe once again.

After getting into her pajamas, she went downstairs to get her text books and shut off all the lights. Not in the mood for dinner, she simply went back to her room to study a bit longer. The later into the night it got, the harder it became for Sarah to keep her heavy eyes open. She finally gave up and gave in to the sleep that was quickly enveloping her body. She set the book on the window bench and slipped between the covers and went to sleep.

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><p><strong>I have nothing to do at all today, so I might as well just keep writing and writing!<strong>

**I think I'm beginning to figure out the plot now, and I can't wait to continue writing the rest of this story!**

**I hope you are all enjoying it. Thank you for reading, and if you could, it would be wonderful if you could leave a review? **

**Thank you!**


	3. Sweet Dreams

_Sarah parked her car in the garage and went inside, carrying her school bag along with her. She fumbled with her keys and eventually got the door open. Fiddling with her nails as she walked in the door, she ran into something. More specifically...some_one._ She looked up and found herself staring into mismatched eyes that could only have belonged to one person._

_'Jareth' she mouthed, so shocked that she became unable to speak. The Goblin King smirked down at her, looking her over. Sarah backed away a few steps before setting down her school bag and facing the king confidently. 'Why are you here?' she demanded, trying to keep her voice as cool as possible. _

_Jareth walked in circles around her, intimidating her more and more as time went on. The sound of his boots on the wood floor was almost deafening in her ears. 'I'm here, precious, to offer you your dreams once more,' he said smoothly. He made one final circle around her before stopping and facing her once again. 'You must not have understood my request last time we had spoken, my dear Sarah.' He conjured up a crystal and held it out to her. 'Just love me. That is all I ask of you,' he said casually. Sarah stared into the king's eyes, all sense of reason completely fleeted from her mind. She reached out slowly to take the crystal Jareth offered. She touched the glass sphere and a light grew brighter and brighter around them both until everything was white._

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><p>Sarah woke when thunder outside rattled the house, sounding like cannons being fired. She shot up in bed out of fear, hands pressed to her face. Her breathing was uneven and heavy. The sound of rain pouring down on the roof seemed to calm her down in the now deafening silence of her bedroom.<p>

Although she had been so quickly awakened from her slumber, every detail of her dream was still fresh in her mind. She rolled over in the covers and slid open the night stand drawer, retrieving a small journal which she kept near at all times. She quickly jotted down everything that had happened in the dream, and replaced the small notebook back in the drawer.

Sarah laid back down in bed and stared up at the ceiling. 'Why is this happening again?' she asked herself. She can remember as a child having dreams of this sort- full of goblins and kings and familiar stone mazes. But that was soon after her encounter with the Labyrinth and The Goblin King. Now, almost 7 years later, she was being haunted by the experience yet again. 'It must be that damned book.' she concluded. She turned on the side table lamp and threw the covers back. She padded over to the book shelf and plucked the leather-bound book from the collection. Going back to sit on her bed, she examined it closely.

Just thinking about the whole experience made her feel nauseous. Knowing that she had put her little brother's life at risk for her own selfish nature made her feel disgusted with herself. 'How could I have ever done something like that to Toby?' she asked herself seriously. She shook her head as the tears began to well up, not wanting to think about the fact that he would be living as an only child in that house from now on. The fact that Sarah had matured enough to be out on her own made her feel like she was abandoning her brother.

Sarah took a deep breath and opened the cover of the book. The pages were in almost perfect condition. Aside from slight yellowing with age, the book looked practically new. This was expected, seeing as it was one of her prized possessions as a child. She flipped through the pages numbly, practically being able to recite each page by heart. Her eyes shot up to the window as lightning lit up the night sky, only capturing her attention for a moment before she flicked her gaze back to the small red book. The scenes of the book that included all her friends made her heart sink. She hadn't seen them in ages.

'What if they have forgotten about me?' she asked herself. 'I wouldn't be surprised if they did.'

Sarah remembered their last few moments together, before she faced The Goblin King alone. She had promised them that if she ever needed them, she would call. She thought back to all the times in her life where she needed a true friend to be by her side and was ashamed with herself for not calling them during those times. 'I guess I thought I was just too old for fairy tales,' she told herself, trying to feel better about the fact that she deliberately ignored her closest friends.

Sarah had continued reading throughout most of the night, only stopping when she reached the scene where the heroine was confronting The Goblin King in the Escher room. She set the book down and stared out the window, thinking. 'Does he remember me?' she wondered. 'Of course not,' Sarah concluded. 'He's probably got so many people wishing others away that it must be impossible to remember them all after just a week!'

Thunder rumbled through the night air and the storm reminded her of the night she had wished Toby away. What had made her think that it was a good idea to even risk it? She had definitely had doubts that the story wasn't true, but there was always a part of her that knew it very well could happen. She had risked Toby's life just because he was throwing a small temper tantrum. Just thinking about that night made her grow more and more ashamed of herself. She shook the thought from her head and looked back to the book, then to the alarm clock that was flashing on the night table. The power must have gone out and now the time was incorrect. She quickly set it back to the right time, realizing that trying to go back to sleep now was pointless. Being almost 5 in the morning, she decided to just stay up. She drew her attention back to the book and finished the last few pages.

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><p>When a more reasonable hour had come upon her, Sarah got dressed into her usual attire: jeans, a somewhat loose shirt and a comfortable pair of flats. She went down to the kitchen and cooked herself some eggs and bacon before she checked her list of things to do for the day. She had to pick up a few things for the new house at the store and decided to visit a nursery and find some nice looking plants that she would want out in front of the house. She tore off the list of things she needed to purchase, put her empty cup of coffee into the sink, and then made her way out the door.<p> 


	4. The Return

Sarah pulled her coat tightly around her slim frame and continued to her car, carrying the single bag of items she had purchased close to her body. She slipped into her car and quickly turned on the heat and heated seat to warm up again. She backed out of the parking lot carefully and decided that since it was so cold, she wasn't going to even try to go to the nursery today. Not to mention, she thought, that she selection of plants was most likely very limited during this time of the year. She drove home in silence.

She went inside her house and locked the door behind her. She tossed the shopping bag on the couch, put a tea kettle on the stove, and went upstairs to change back into her comfortable clothes. She reached the top of the stairs and froze.

Looking down the long hallway that led to her bedroom, she saw underneath the door that her light was on. Sarah thought back to before she left, remembering vividly that she had shut off the light. She slowly and quietly tiptoed towards the door and the light was blocked momentarily by something that had moved in front of the door in her room. She gasped and quickly clasped her hand over her mouth. She reached for her pocket and pulled out her phone, preparing to dial 911. She slowly crept closer and closer towards the door, her bravery slowly but surely escaping her.

She reached the door and tightly held the doorknob. She closed her eyes and held her breath as she threw the door open. She burst in and looked around frantically, trying to find the person that was walking around her room. To her surprise, there was no one there. The window was open wide, the purple curtains blowing around wildly. She rushed to the window, expecting to see the intruder making his escape, but there was no one to be seen. She closed the window and secured it tightly as she heard the bedroom door slam. She spun around on her heels and fought the urge to scream.

Standing before her was _him_. The Goblin King. Sarah's head began to spin and she felt as though she could no longer stand. She sat down on the window bench and held her head in her hands, trying to compose herself. Her breathing was shallow and she felt extremely light headed. She gained composure of herself and then stood, facing the tall, slender man confidently. "Why are you here, Jareth?" she asked him seriously, her voice refusing to be smooth and demanding as she had wanted it to be. The Goblin King smirked at her, recognizing her fear. Or was it excitement?

He chuckled as he stepped closer to her, his tall boots making that dreadful clicking sound that Sarah had despised so much in her dream. Sarah's eyes grew wide. _Her dream. _"Wait..." she said, causing Jareth's jaw to snap shut as he was about to speak to her.

"Wait," she repeated. The confusion between dream world and reality was giving her a migraine. The surrealness of the situation was making her head pound. "This isn't real. I'm just dreaming again," she said, moreso to herself than to the regal man who was also standing in her room. Jareth laughed to himself, continuing to move closer to her. "I assure you, my dear," he began smoothly, "that I am real." He smirked at her words. "However, it does please me to know that you have dreamt of me, precious." He reached a gloved hand out and cupped her chin, lifting her face to meet his gaze.

Sarah was trembling. Why was he here? Why did he suddenly appear here after all these years? So many questions were running through her mind that she was unable to think clearly. The feeling of his cold leather gloves on her skin sent chills down her spine. She quickly swatted his hand away, finally coming to her senses and realizing that Jareth was really here.

"Why are you here, Goblin King?" she asked him again, a hint of anger slipping into her voice. She ignored the heat that was spreading over her face and stood with her head high. Although she was extremely intimidated by this man, she would never let him know that.

Jareth ran a gloved hand through his platinum blonde hair and replied, "I have come to bring you back to the Underground." He chuckled at the look of pure terror that was creeping over Sarah's features and continued. "Although you may not want to return, my dear, I am afraid you must," he said with a sadistic grin on his face.

Sarah held her face in her hands, not wanting to believe that this was all really happening. She looked back to Jareth and the grin that was plastered to his face was making her feel more and more unsafe with him here. She backed away from him as much as she could, her body now pressed against the wall. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, trying to make sense of all the things that were running wild in her head.

"Why would I EVER want to go back there?" she began, raising her voice slightly and glaring at Jareth. His face remained a mask that made reading his emotions completely impossible. He took a few steps towards her and smirked when she flinched, her head bouncing against the solid wall behind her. "I do not believe you would ever want to return, I understand that," he replied, continuing his slow advance towards her. "However, this is not my decision, precious." The space between the two grew smaller and smaller as Jareth propped his arm up against the wall, blocking any route for her to escape him. Sarah avoided his gaze, hiding her face behind her dark chestnut hair. "If it were my choice, I would have had you back ages ago," he began, "but unfortunately, I was not able to do so." He leaned in and Sarah winced as she felt his breath against her neck. "But now... your presence in the Underground is requested." He smirked and backed away, making note of the blush that was now present on the woman's cheeks.

She pushed the hair from her face and lifted her chin slightly, trying to make herself appear confident and unaffected by the proximity of his lips to her neck. She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry to disappoint you," she began, "but I will most definitely NOT be going back to the Underground. I don't care who, or WHAT for that matter, requested my presence. They are just going to have to live without it." The tea kettle downstairs made a high pitched whistling sound, signaling that the water was boiling. She began walking towards the King, only to make a sharp turn and reach for the door.

Jareth spun around and quickly wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her back to him. "I do not think you have a choice in this matter, Sarah," he said sharply, noticing the fear that had proclaimed itself in her eyes. "This was an entirely unexpected decision, my dear," he said, trying to alleviate the fear that was prominent in her. His grip on her waist loosened and she quickly pulled herself away, her face growing red yet again.

"I can't..." she whispered. "I can't just pack up and leave. I have responsibilities to tend to here. I have my family," she said, her voice wavering. Jareth's face was still cold, no emotion seeming to pass through his eyes. Sarah blinked away the tears that were wetting her eyes and Jareth came closer to her yet again.

"You may not want this," he began quietly, "but please take into account the fact that I may not want it just as much as you."

Sarah was shocked at the insult. Just moment ago he was close enough to her that, if she had moved just a few inches, his lips would have been on hers. And now he was trying to say that he didn't care to have her there. "What game are you trying to play with me, Goblin King?" she asked seriously. Her eyes had narrowed to small slits, her anger rising. "No games, precious." The corners of his mouth twitched and he smirked at her. "I am just performing my duties." He moved towards her so quickly that Sarah was unaware of what was happening. He quickly gripped onto her wrist, pulling her tightly to him. Sarah's vision blurred as she felt as though she were falling. The only thing she could feel was the grip of Jareth's leather-clad hand around her wrist. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the pounding in her head and the churning of her stomach.

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><p><strong>Oh my gosh writing this is just so fun!<strong>

**I love being able to control the characters ahhhhh :)**

**Anyways, I just thought I'd leave an author's note because I'm literally just sitting in my room all day, cranking out chapters. Maybe leaving these little notes can make this somewhat more social- since I am having a conversation with the readers? Yes? No? Ok.**

**Thank you for reading! If you would like, please leave a review! I appreciate them! **


	5. An Explanation

Sarah felt her feet land on something hard and realized that she had landed back on solid ground. Jareth's grip on her wrist had been released and she opened her eyes. He stood in front of her, his mismatched eyes hungrily drinking in her body. "Excuse me," she said loudly, sensing a twinge of embarrassment before the cold mask was replaced over Jareth's features. "You still have yet to explain why my 'presence was requested,'" Sarah said harshly, her fingers creating quotes in the air. Jareth looked at the gesture questioningly. "You see, precious," he began, offering his arm to her as he began walking down the long hallway where they had been transported, "I am a king. I rule a kingdom." Sarah ignored his gesture of kindness and walked beside him without linking their arms. Jareth smirked and dropped his arm gracefully back to his side. "Of course, this kingdom is just one of many here in the Underground. Each kingdom may very well have their own designated rulers, however the entire Underground is ruled by the High King." Jareth glanced over to Sarah as they walked. She looked as if she were paying no attention to what he was saying, but rather very intrigued by the stone walls of his castle. He continued anyhow, "I received a message from the High King, from my servant, Dext. I was informed that although I am ruling the goblin kingdom fairly well on my own, that I must marry or I will not have my chance at becoming High King when his time expires." Sarah's attention snapped to Jareth at those words.

"So, let me get this straight," she began, her voice cold, "You are a selfish bastard who is obsessed with power, so you decide to abduct me and force me to marry you just so you can become the ruler of the entire Underground?" Her eyes were dark, her anger very apparent. Jareth glowered at her. "That is not the point, precious." He gestured for Sarah to continue walking, and when she did, he continued explaining the situation. "I, myself, had no choice in the matter. The High King always watches over my kingdom. He has seen every mortal who has been through this Labyrinth. Only you, my dear Sarah, have been able to reach the center of my Labyrinth so quickly." Sarah continued her angry stare as he spoke. "The High King has taken quite an interest in you, and he believes that you are most fitting to become my wife."

Sarah didn't know how to feel about this. She didn't know if she should be flattered to have such royalty think so highly of her, or if she should be insulted that he thinks he can just scoop her up and take her where ever he pleases. Either way, she was definitely unhappy about the whole situation.

She abruptly stopped walking and Jareth did, as well. He looked at her questioningly. "Why do you just expect me to marry you when I hardly even know you?" she asked seriously. It had been nearly a decade since they had spoken with each other, and now she is just expected to marry him without a second thought? "I don't know about your customs here, but in the Aboveground, things do not work that way." She was not only angry, but extremely confused as to why he thought she would just bend over backwards to suit his needs.

"My dear, Sarah," he began, advancing towards her yet again. "I don't believe you understood me." He stepped closer and closer until he was a mere few inches from her. "I am not the one who requests your marriage to me." She felt her face growing hot, his breath caressing her lips. "Although, the idea of it is very pleasing to me." He backed away and continued walking down the long corridor. She rolled her eyes and followed behind him, maintaining a safe distance.

"I am very aware of how marriages are usually proposed in the Aboveground, Sarah. But everything is different Underground. Time moves much more quickly. The High King has a limited amount of time in power, and when that time expires, the next in line is granted their allotted time to have the throne." He continued walking a ways, then turned down another corridor. Sarah continued to follow him, still following behind him rather than walking beside him. His shoes were clicking against the stone floors as they went.

"At the moment, I am not in line for the throne due to the fact that I am not wed." He stopped and turned on his heels to face Sarah, who almost ran into his chest, not expecting the abrupt stop. She looked up to him, a scowl apparent on her features. "Once again, Goblin King, it sounds like you are just a power thirsty ruler." She took a step back as their proximity to each other sunk in. "I am not interested in helping you become a more harsh and unreasonable ruler than you already are," she spat at him. His expression was cold, once again, and looked as if the insult hadn't phased him at all. Jareth sighed and turned to continue walking before adding, "Well, I'm sorry to inform you, yet again, that you have no choice in the matter." They continued walking to their destination in silence.

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><p>They reached a small door at the end of a long corridor. The door frame towered over the two of them, beautifully carved molding nearly touching the ceiling. Jareth opened the door and gestured inside. Sarah entered the room cautiously, not sure what could be inside. There was a large fireplace against one wall, which provided nearly all of the light that was in the room. The bed that was in the center of the room was decorated with black silk sheets and many red throw pillows. The black wood floors were shining, a glow from the fireplace reflecting in the gloss of the finish. A connected bathroom was on the right, fully equipped with a large bath tub and separate shower. Sarah turned and faced Jareth to see him leaning against the door frame, his face expressionless.<p>

"This is where you shall be staying," he said dully. "Every morning you will be assisted by your maid, Borgia. You are not to roam around the castle unattended. In the event that you do wish to leave your bedchambers, you will be escorted by Castor. However, he is not here at the moment. He will be back by tomorrow." With that, Jareth shut the door behind him and walked off, the clicking of his boots fading away as he went.

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><p>Sarah looked around the room, but the darkness was not helping her see clearly. She went to the window and drew back the curtains, letting in a little more light. The room was beautifully decorated. An armoire was against the wall, immediately attracting Sarah's eye. She opened it to find it stocked with dozens of beautiful gowns and dresses. There were corsets neatly folded and stored on a shelf as well as many pairs of beautiful heeled shoes. Everything in the closet looked fit for a queen. Sarah groaned at the pun.<p>

The whole situation was completely ridiculous. The thought of having to marry a man Sarah knew nothing about sickened her. The idea of marrying a complete and utter stranger made her heart sink. She had always dreamed of how her marriage proposal would be. Now that she was stuck here, she was guaranteed that her fantasy would never be played out in front of her. Sarah sat on the chair that was situated by the fireplace and attempted to relax a little bit.


	6. The Dinner

Sarah was deep in thought about her family when there was a knock at the door. She untucked her legs from beneath her and stood to open the door. Upon opening the door, Sarah saw no one. She peered around the corridor and then noticed the small goblin that was waiting outside when it tugged on her pants. She was startled, but let the little goblin into the room. Sarah took in the somewhat menacing sight of the goblin. Its skin was a dull greyish-green color, and its eyes looked as if they were glazed over, taking on a dark grey appearance. It walked with a slight hunch in its back, which caused its already small height to become even smaller. Sarah made the guess that this goblin was quite old.

The goblin hobbled into her room and then bowed before introducing itself. "Me name is Borgia. I is yer maid." Sarah nodded slightly, still not accustomed to the strange appearance of the goblins. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Borgia," Sarah said politely. Borgia bustled over to the armoire and pulled a small stool out from underneath. She clambered up and began shuffling through the gowns that were stuffed inside. She pulled down a beautiful black gown with gold beading and laid it down on the bed. "Now, lady, you needs ta get cleaned up before supper." Borgia took Sarah's hand and led her to the bathroom. The little goblin started the water in the shower and then gave Sarah two fluffy, white towels. "Don't take too long, lady Sarah. Dinner is soon." with that, Borgia left the bathroom and left Sarah in peace. She took a nice relaxing shower before Borgia came in with the undergarments she was expected to wear beneath the gown.

"I'm not quite sure this is a good idea," Sarah complained as Borgia laced the gold corset. Sarah's breaths became short and shallow due to the tightness of the corset. "No, lady Sarah. You gots to wear it sorry." Borgia grunted as she pulled the corset tighter, and Sarah squealed as her circulation became more and more constricted.

Sarah slipped into the gown and then was led to the vanity. Borgia combed through Sarah's chestnut hair and styled it in an intricate up-do. There were small golden accessories that Borgia had also added that, when they caught the light just right, threw off a dazzling glow from within her hair. Borgia nodded and then moved on to Sarah's makeup. She left her with a dark smokey eye shadow and mascara, before finally getting Sarah the shoes she was to wear with the gown. The gown, however, was so long that Sarah wondered if she could just get away with not wearing shoes. No one would ever know...

Borgia grinned proudly when she was finished preparing her for the dinner. "Now, lady Sarah, we needs to get ya to the dining room. Follow me." The little maid beckoned her through the door and down the long corridor. She struggled to catch up with the little goblin in the insanely high heels she was wearing. She was still confused as to why she needed to dress up so nicely just for dinner with Jareth.

* * *

><p>They finally reached the dining room, which seemed to have taken ages. Jareth was no where to be seen, but there were two goblins at either end of the dining table. They were much taller than Borgia, but still a great deal smaller than any person Sarah had ever seen. She sauntered over to the table as one of the goblins pulled out a chair for her. "Thank you," she said politely. She forced a smile as the goblin assumed his initial position at the end of the table. "Of course the Goblin King is late," she muttered to herself, a hint of anger in her voice. The smooth accent of the king filled the room, "Not late, my precious, simply punctual." She grinned to herself as Jareth sat down across from her. "You look simply wonderful, Sarah," he said, his eyes roaming her body. She crossed her legs and pulled the neckline of the dress up, hiding any cleavage that may have been visible. "Thank you," she said sharply. "You look pretty good, yourself," she said quietly.<p>

Sarah couldn't help but think about the conversation they had had earlier in the afternoon. Maybe she shouldn't be so harsh. After all, it isn't his fault that monarchies require you to be wed in order to achieve power. The least she could do was be a little understanding. Like he said earlier, she didn't know how he felt about her now. The feelings he had for her before could be completely gone. He may not want her just as much as she doesn't want him.

"Listen," she said clearly. Jareth looked up from his filet mignon as her voice rang throughout the dining room. "I wanted to apologize," she began. "I may have jumped to conclusions earlier, and I just wanted to say that I'm sorry." She looked at him with an apologetic look on her face. He simply nodded, then looked back to his dinner. "But..." she continued.

Jareth looked up from his meal yet again, this time setting his silverware down. He looked slightly annoyed, but she didn't care. "I want a little more freedom, here." He looked at her like she was crazy. "As of right now, you have me on a very short leash. All I ask is that you give me a little slack." His face was expressionless. Did he not understand that she was already forced here, against her will? The least he could do was allow her to leave her room. She wasn't a little kid anymore.

She shook her head and continued eating. What was the point? He was clearly just going to ignore her. "Sarah..." his voice startled her when it broke the silence. "I cannot allow you that." She slammed her silverware down onto the table, trying to contain her anger. "Listen, Jareth. You are expecting me to just sit here and play house with you. But I have a life Aboveground. Being stuck here with you wasn't on my bucket list. I have school, I have a family." Her voice began to shake, her anger becoming more and more apparent on her face. She took a deep breath and sank back into her chair. "Look, I know you don't want to marry me, okay? You just want to become High King or whatever. It doesn't matter to me." She looked at him, the apologetic look once again gracing her features. "I just don't think that us hating each other is going to work out if we are going to have to get married and live here together."

Jareth looked at her, confused. "Sarah, do you really think I hate you?" She peered up at him from behind her lashes. "Well, you don't seem to be too fond of me," she said quietly. Jareth rose from his chair and came to stand behind her. Her body tensed as he placed a hand on her shoulder, his gloved fingers rubbing small circles on the skin there. He leaned down and she felt his breath on her neck. "I could never hate you, Sarah," he whispered against her ear. She shivered and then rose from her chair. She wasn't going to let him continue to seduce her like this.

"All I ask is that you allow me to leave my room. I don't feel that I need to be watched over like I'm an infant." She held her head high and waited for his response. He smirked at her, his eyes raking over her body. "I'm sorry dear, I'm going to have to decline." He turned and began walking towards the door. She shook her head and sat back down at the table, cradling her head in her hands. She steadied her breathing and calmed down a little. Borgia came into the room and waited by her side until she was ready to go back to her room.

* * *

><p>Borgia set out a night gown for her to wear to sleep, then left the room, bidding her good night. Sarah changed, gingerly slipping out of the dress. She didn't want to damage the beading. Once she was ready for bed, she slipped between the covers and stared at the ceiling.<p>

While she laid there, her thoughts drifted to Jareth. Maybe she really shouldn't be so hard on him. She already accepted the fact that she was going to be stuck here for a while, and as much as it hurt to believe it, she knew she wasn't going to see her family again. That hurt her a little inside. But she knew that letting out her anger and emotions on Jareth wasn't going to get them anywhere. As long as she was stuck here, she thought, she might as well make the most of it. She smiled to herself and decided that tomorrow, she would turn over a new leaf. She was going to try to be more understanding and a little less demanding of him. Although he was keeping her under tight restrictions, she knew he must have a reason for it. Whether or not those reasons were important, she didn't know. But she wasn't going to question it. She slowly drifted off to sleep, the crackling of the fire lulling her deeper.


	7. New Leaf

Sarah was awakened by the tapping of Borgia on her door. She crawled out of bed and allowed her to come in. She bustled by, setting a tray of delicious looking breakfast foods down on the coffee table near the fireplace. She quickly set out Sarah's outfit for the day, then left. She never really said much to Sarah, and she assumed that she wasn't very fond of her. Maybe all the goblins dislike her, she thought. She shrugged, sipped her orange juice, and then went to get a shower.

She had gotten dressed into the dress Borgia had picked. Sarah noticed that, of all the things the armoire was stuffed with, this was the most Aboveground-ish of any of them. It was a pastel yellow summer dress that fell about to her knees. It flattered her figure but didn't over-emphasize any of her curves. Sarah actually felt beautiful. She sat down at the vanity and combed her hair, smiling at herself. She knew today was going to be better.

She finished applying the little amount of makeup she wore on a day to day basis when there was another knock at the door. Sarah gathered all the breakfast dishes neatly on the tray, assuming it was Borgia to come pick them up. When she opened the door, she was peering down, as she usually did when Borgia was at the door. She found herself staring at a pair of polished black shoes. She followed the lean legs up and was greeted by a rather tall man. He was dressed in a very fitting royal blue suit. His hair was dark and slicked back perfectly.

She straightened herself and greeted him cordially. "Hello, I'm Sarah. And you are?" She looked at him expectantly, a smile lighting up her face. It was her goal to make sure that she was happy all day, rather than having her usual periods of anger and remorse.

The man offered his hand and she shook it firmly. "Hello, Sarah. I'm Castor. Surely Jareth has let you know I will be your guide during your stay here in the castle." He flashed a toothy smile, his teeth gleaming white. This man was definitely not a goblin, Sarah thought, comparing his dazzling smile to the smile of the goblins she had seen.

She nodded knowingly. "Of course! It's nice to meet you, Castor." A feeling of relief swept over her then. She realized she no longer had to be caged up in this room. "If you don't mind, Castor, I would like to see a bit of this castle. I've been cooped up in here since I arrived, and I'm going stir crazy." He chuckled and offered his arm. She gladly took it and he began giving her a tour of the castle.

* * *

><p>Castor had taken her around most of the main floor when they reached the library. Sarah was in awe at the mind-boggling number of books that were held inside. Castor smiled at her as she browsed some of the titles. "This is amazing," she whispered. "Indeed, it is," he agreed. Sarah drew her attention back to Castor. "Could I talk to you about something?" she asked him shyly. He nodded and gestured towards a set of chairs that were situated together. They sat down and Sarah took a deep breath, composing her thoughts.<p>

"I'm sure you know the reason I am here," she began. Castor nodded knowingly. "Of course, Sarah. I am one of the only people His Highness explains these sort of things to."  
>Sarah nodded. "Well, I was just wondering. Is there a reason why Jareth is so set on becoming High King? I mean, wouldn't ruling all of the kingdoms be a little strenuous?"<p>

"Becoming High King is something that had been running in His Highness's family for a long time. It was not until recently that another Fae leader had become High King, and had taken his rightful position. He is still in the running, but is not completely legible for the position without having a queen."  
>Sarah nodded, understanding. "So, he needs me to be here because otherwise, he wouldn't be able to have that position?" Castor nodded, then said, "Of course, he must have told you the way arranged marriages work."<br>Sarah looked at him, confused. "The High King has arranged your being here, Sarah. He has decided that you have certain abilities that a queen would require when ruling a kingdom. His Highness had absolutely no say in the matter."

Sarah finally understood why Jareth seemed upset when she was asking to be allowed freedom. Jareth, himself, had not even been allowed freedom. Although it seems extremely unfair that she is unable to decide who she marries, she never thought about things from Jareth's perspective. He is in the same boat she is, so why would he feel the need to grant her freedom?

Everything was becoming more clear to Sarah the longer she chatted with Castor. She learned some valuable information about Underground customs that she surely would have never even dreamed of in the Aboveground.

"Well, it is meal time. Would you like to join us for lunch?" He held out his arm and Sarah took it. He escorted her to the dining room she had eaten in last night.

* * *

><p>Castor pulled out Sarah's chair as she sat down. He sat next to her and Jareth arrived just a few minutes later. Castor rose as he entered the room, then sat down again as Jareth did. He claimed the seat across from Sarah. Sarah smiled at him and he grinned at her.<p>

Two goblins brought out trays of sandwiches and assorted fruits. Castor served Sarah a helping of fruit and offered her a sandwich. She declined, looking back to Jareth. Jareth was still watching her as she ate, making her feel slightly uncomfortable. Her face grew hot. "What?" she asked him, innocently. He shook his head, smiling. "Nothing, you just look lovely today." She smiled, then popped another piece of fruit in her mouth.

As they finished eating, Jareth asked Castor to perform a few duties in the throne room. Jareth offered Sarah his arm and she gladly accepted it. "Where will we be going, Your Highness?" she asked him teasingly. He smirked, replying, "I thought I should show you the gardens."

* * *

><p>The gardens were absolutely gorgeous. Flowers of every color were growing in neatly kept beds, all surrounding multiple fountains that were carved of marble. Benches were situated around the fountains. Jareth led her to a bench and they sat down together.<p>

Sarah looked him up and down, noticing the change in his wardrobe. He wore his regular tights and tall boots, but he was lacking his regular waistcoat and cloak. He wore a ruffled shirt and a black leather vest, the shirt open down to the waist. His horned pendant shone brightly against the pale skin of his chest. Her eyes wandered over his body and he cleared his throat. Her face burned, embarrassment sweeping over her.

"I want to ask you something..." she began quietly. Jareth turned from the fountain and faced her, his mismatched eyes reading her face.

"I know that you did not arrange for this to happen...us having to marry, I mean." With her understanding of the topic, she now felt better about inquiring about it. "I was just wondering...what would happen to you if you did not find someone to wed? Would you have to give up your position as the Goblin King?"

He nodded, then said, "If it weren't for you, my days as king may have been over very soon." Sarah nodded, then faced the fountain again.

"Will I ever see my family again?" she asked seriously. Tears were threatening to spill down her cheeks as she spoke. Jareth could sense her sadness and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her nearer to him. She rested her head on his shoulder, unsure of whether or not she should accept this affection. Her feelings towards him were still unclear to her, and she didn't want to give him the wrong idea. She brushed a tear from her face as he spoke.  
>"It is extremely hard to travel between the Aboveground and here, Sarah. I have a feeling that you may very rarely get to see them now." He tightened his grip on her, then released her. She nodded understandingly. Her heart was aching, but she knew that this was her life now. There was no turning back.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>I feel like this chapter might not be as good as the others, but I needed to incorporate this character in.<strong>

**Thanks for reading, and please don't forget to leave a review! I love reading them!**


	8. Liberté

The next day, Borgia brought her breakfast and set out her clothes. She did her usual routine of making up the bed and starting the water in the shower for Sarah, then stood at the door, clearing her throat. Sarah looked up from the eggs she was picking at. "Yes, Borgia?" she asked, confused.

"His Highness wants ya to go to the library today, lady Sarah," she said quickly. Sarah still had the impression that Borgia wasn't very fond of her. Sarah simply nodded, thanked her, and then she left.

Sarah finished eating, took a shower, prepared herself for the day, then stood outside the door, waiting for Castor. After waiting for what seemed like an hour, she sighed and started off down the long corridor. Although she had no idea where she was going, she did know that the library was somewhere on the main floor. Sarah peeked into the tall doors that lined the halls, however she was unable to find the right one. She turned a corner sharply, moving quickly as to not be extremely late to the library. She needed to find it soon before Castor came to her room looking for her, or even worse- Jareth. She cringed at the idea of him getting upset with her now. She felt that they were now getting somewhat closer, and that the feelings of anger they had towards each other were diminishing.

Absorbed in her thoughts, Sarah paid no attention as she rounded the corner, bumping into someone as she went. With her being so tall, she knocked them down, a gasp escaping from her lips. "I am so sorry!" she said quickly, offering her hand to help them up. She looked over the dwarf that had fallen and her eyes grew wide.

"Hoggle?" she said quietly. Hoggle looked up to her, his eyes sparkling. "Sarah! What are ya doin' here? I thought you was goin' back home?" Sarah couldn't contain her excitement. After not seeing Hoggle for so long, the happiness she felt was almost dizzying. "I can't believe it's you, Hoggle! I've missed you so much!" She helped him to his feet and wrapped her arms around him tightly. Hoggle was usually one to disagree with affection, but he gladly accepted the hug. "Did ya wish someone away again, Sarah?" Hoggle asked seriously. Sarah chuckled and shook her head. "No, Hoggle. It's really hard to explain. How long will you be here?" she asked him, a hint of sadness in her voice. After not seeing him for so long, she didn't want to have to lose him again.

"I's workin' here for the king, Sarah. I's here all the time." Hoggle sounded upset, but Sarah couldn't have been more happy. She had known very few people here, and Hoggle was one of her best friends. She felt more and more at home now.

"That's great, Hoggle! I'll explain everything later," she said excitedly. "I have a bit of a problem, though. I'm supposed to be going to the library, but I don't know the way. Do you think you could help me?" Hoggle nodded silently, then began walking the way she came.

* * *

><p>Sarah gave Hoggle a hug before he went back to work. Sarah opened the door quietly. Maybe Jareth hadn't gotten there yet, she thought. She closed the door carefully, then turned around to scan the room. Jareth was there, lounging in one of the chairs situated around the room. He looked up at her and gestured for her to sit in the chair next to his. She slowly made her way there, worried that he may be upset with her. She sat down and glanced at what he was looking at. It seemed to be a map.<p>

He cleared his throat and looked at her seriously. "I may have been wrong about you, Sarah," he said quietly. He folded the map and laid it down on the table in front of them. "You are not as naive as you once were. I believe you shall be allowed to roam the castle without Castor." Sarah's face lit up. Having to be carted around like a child was awfully annoying. She worried, though, that he may find out that Castor was unable to guide her to the library, and that she left her room alone that morning. She ignored the thought, hoping and praying the he wouldn't find out.

Jareth handed her the folded piece of paper and gestured for her to open it. She unfolded the map and examined it carefully. "This should help you, I believe," he said smoothly. Sarah nodded, reading over each room that was labelled in neat script.

Sarah folded it carefully and went to place it in her pants pocket, but remembered that Borgia had gotten rid of her Aboveground clothes. Borgia gave her nothing but dresses and evening gowns to wear. She sighed and just held the paper in her lap. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Jareth nodded slightly, then continued, "However, there are a few areas of the castle I am going to have to ask you to stay clear of."  
>Sarah looked at him curiously. "Of course," she replied.<br>He stood and paced around the table. "The throne room is off limits, as well as everything on the second level of the castle. Staircases are hidden, as well, so you shouldn't be able to reach it anyhow."  
>Sarah nodded. She knew that disagreeing with him now could result in him taking back her newly gained freedom. That wasn't something she wanted, so she nodded politely. "That should be all. You will no longer require Castor's assistance. However, he will continue to be at your service if you shall ever need him."<p>

Sarah nodded once more, leaping from her seat and enveloping the king in a hug. "Thank you," she whispered again, into his chest. He tightened his grip around her waist, pulling her closer to him. They stayed like that for a while, Sarah's face buried into his chest, inhaling the spicy aroma of the leather he wore. His arms wrapped around her tightly, giving her a feeling of assurance. Before, she felt uneasy in the presence of the Goblin King. Now, she felt safe and at home.

Her eyes flicked open, surprised at her change of heart. Could she have feelings for the Goblin King? _'No,'_ she thought,_ 'that's impossible. I can't just simply forget his personality and how, at times, he can be cruel. But,'_ she continued to herself, _'I also can't forget the times like this, where he is compassionate.'_

She looked up at Jareth, her eyes sparkling. After all these years, Jareth thought, he finally had her in his arms.

He cupped her face with his hand and gently tilted her face to his. Sarah's eyes drooped closed as Jareth brought his lips down on hers. She melted in his embrace, her arms loosely wrapping around his neck. He pulled her hips against his as the kiss became deeper. She ended the kiss, gasping for breath.

He released his grip on her and she stepped away, looking to his face. For once, Sarah was able to see an emotion quickly flick through his eyes. The Goblin King looked, for once, happy.

She wanted to find Hoggle and explain everything to him fully. Jareth led her to the door and showed her out. She smiled to herself, then unfolded the crisp map and found her way back to her room to freshen up a bit.

* * *

><p>Closing the door behind her, she set off to find Hoggle. She unfolded the map and carefully examined each room. None of them seemed to be labelled as "Hoggle's Room," so she simply folded it again and held it tightly in her hand as she attempted to retrace her steps to where she had run into him earlier.<p>

Sarah turned the corner slowly, expecting to see Hoggle hobbling out of one of the rooms. Instead, she found Castor. He blinked at her, eyes wide. _'I guess he doesn't know that I am free to walk around now,'_ she thought to herself.

Castor hurriedly walked over to her, his arm held out. "My lady, what in the worlds do you think you are doing out here?" His voice was slightly angered. "I," she began. He cut her off and led her to the dining room. "Jareth is going to be worried sick about you!" He continued ranting. Sarah just walked in silence, listening to the mini rage he was going through.

_'Jareth must not have had a chance to talk to him today',_ she thought to herself.

As she had thought, Jareth was not there to eat with them. She ate her lunch silently as Castor continued to lecture her about the importance of staying with him at all times.

Sarah stood, her anger becoming apparent across her features. "Castor," she said, her voice raising slightly. "I am glad that you care for my safety so much. But I am not a child!" Castor looked appalled. "Jareth told me this morning that I am allowed to roam freely," she continued, calming down slightly. She sank back down into her seat and picked at the salad she was served. She needed to learn to control her anger. Letting it out on other people was getting her no where.

Castor nodded, then looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry, my lady. Jareth has been rather busy today, I never heard of this." He blinked, then pushed his chair from the table to stand.

'No, I'm sorry," Sarah said, her voice quavering. "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. How was I to know you hadn't had a chance to talk to him?" Sarah held her head in her hands, once again, ashamed of herself. Castor placed a hand on her back and rubbed gentle circles there. "It's quite all right, my dear," he said kindly. She stood and smiled at him before heading towards the door of the dining room. She stopped and turned to face him once more.

"Do you know where Hoggle might be?" she asked him curiously. He nodded, smiling as he gladly showed her to the dwarf's chambers.


	9. High King

Sarah rapped her knuckles against the dark wood door, waiting for her friend to answer. Hoggle opened the door slightly, peering through the small opening to see who was at his door. His face lit up when he realized it was Sarah, and he gladly opened the door wider to allow her to enter.

The room was much smaller than the room Sarah was staying in. There was no grand fireplace, like in her room. Instead, a small wood burning stove was set in the wall, a dining table adjacent to it. The bathroom was also unlike the one in Sarah's room- there was no locking door, rather a small privacy screen that hid the toilet and small tub from view. The bed Sarah had grown used to seeing in her bedroom was nothing like the small cot that Hoggle had along the back wall of the room. Sarah frowned, disapproving of the somewhat harsh living conditions of her friend.

Hoggle pulled out a chair for Sarah and she sat down. He set a pot on the stove and offered to make her some tea. She nodded and smiled slightly. He down at the small table across from her and looked at her expectantly. "So, Sarah, why's ya here again? Didn'cha have enough'a this place?"

That was the problem. Sarah had grown so used to saying that she hated it here, that she hated how Jareth had taken her here against her will. In reality, however, she was not all that upset to be back. She had made a new friend, was reunited with an older one, and discovered feelings for someone she thought she never thought she could have had feelings for before. She propped her head up on her hand, her elbow resting on the rough wood table. Did she really dislike it that much, or was she simply just not over the fact that her brother had gotten taken away. And, the burning question she had always been asking herself since the incident- should she really be upset with Jareth about him taking Toby? She had wished him away, after all. He was simply just doing his duties.

Sarah took a deep breath and sorted out all of her thoughts, finding the most logical place to start the story. She began by telling Hoggle about how she had just moved from her parent's house and started her life out on her own. She explained how she had found the book and began having dreams of the Labyrinth, just as she had after visiting the Underground. He nodded understandingly as she rambled on and on. When she reached the part where Jareth had appeared in her room and taken her back to the Underground, a scowl became apparent on his face.

"It sounds worse than it really is," she explained quickly. Sarah always knew Hoggle hated Jareth with a burning passion. "The whole thing made no sense to me at the beginning, either. But, now that I have had it explained to me, I've realized that I don't have much of a choice." Hoggle blinked at her, confused. "The High King had decided that I was the one who is to become the queen when Jareth assumes the position of High King. Jareth had just as much say in this as I did." Hoggle's face was cold and emotionless, making it extremely hard for Sarah to read how he was feeling about the situation. "My initial reaction was to just completely ignore Jareth," she continued again," but I've found that it's getting harder and harder."

Hoggle's eyes widened. "You can't be tellin' me that you's havin' feelings fer the king, Sarah!" His voice was raised slightly. "What am I supposed to do?" Sarah exclaimed. "I can't just ignore it and hope it will go away! I can't control how I feel," she said quietly.

Hoggle stood and finished brewing the tea, pouring it into two small cups. He set one in front of Sarah, then sat back down, shaking his head disapprovingly. "I's knows you have always been one to speak yer mind, Sarah. But Jareth hasn't always been the most loyal man." Sarah cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean, Hoggle?"

As Hoggle was about to speak, the door swung open. Borgia scurried into the room and tugged at the hem of Sarah's dress. With a hint of alarm in her scratchy voice, she said, "Lady Sarah, you needa get back to your room at once! We have to get ya ready for the big dinner tonight!" Sarah stood and gently pushed the wooden chair back under the small table. She walked towards the door with Borgia leading the way, turning back to Hoggle and mouthing an apology. He nodded and closed the door as they left.

As they walked the corridors of the castle, Sarah couldn't help but think of what Hoggle had said. What made him think that Jareth wasn't loyal? And to what was he no loyal? Sarah had so many thoughts buzzing around her mind she couldn't make sense of them all. She simply shook them away as if her mind were an Etch-a-Sketch, and continued back to her room with Borgia.

* * *

><p>"What is this big dinner, Borgia?" Sarah asked quietly as Borgia styled her chocolate brown locks. "His Highness invited sum of his acquaintances over for supper, and he wants ya to look very presentable for it." Sarah nodded as Borgia stepped away from her head, leaving her hair falling down her back in long ringlets. Half of her hair was held up in a Bohemian style headband. She was growing more and more comfortable in the corsets she was required to wear, and each time Borgia laced them, she managed to keep her breathing even. She smiled to herself with this small accomplishment.<p>

The gown Borgia had laid on the bed was very familiar, she thought. The silver fabric that pooled around her was extremely soft and poofed out around her hips, making her waist look very slim. The sleeves of the dress were made of the same fabric, cinched at the shoulder, causing the silk-like material to fluff out around her arms. Borgia carefully secured the back of the dress, handing Sarah the matching silver heels.

Castor was once again waiting at her door. He knew that she didn't need to be escorted any longer, but she wasn't going to argue. There was no reason to stir up and trouble- especially since there were going to be guests. She smoothed her dress and followed Castor to the dining room.

Jareth had always seemed very solitary and not very friendly, if Sarah had to be completely honest. The idea of Jareth having "acquaintances" had surprised her. Of course, Sarah remembered, Jareth always had that compassionate side that peeked through every now and again.

The doors to the dining room were closed, but immediately swung open as she and Castor approached them, two goblin guards greeting them quickly, then closing the doors again behind them. Jareth had not yet arrived, the elegant dining table void of any people. She sat down in her usual seat, across from the one Jareth sat in each meal. The doors swung open once more just as Castor had sat down. He quickly stood again, Sarah quickly taking the hint and rising from her seat, as well. Jareth strolled in gracefully, his midnight blue attire sparkling in the bright light cast from the crystal chandelier. Sarah gave him a sweet smile as he made his way to the table, his guests following behind, equally as graceful. Sarah sat down once more, examining the two people carefully.

Actually, Sarah thought, she wasn't quite sure if they were _human _people at all. Their facial features were very sharp and chiseled, giving them a very inhuman look. A tall, slender man claimed the seat at the end of the table, removing a burgundy cloak from his shoulders before sitting down. He folded the material neatly and draped it over the back of the chair. Sarah's mind boggled at the sight of the brilliant man. His eyes were a pale blue, contrasting dramatically to his dark olive complexion. His dark black hair fell in soft wisps around his face. His cheekbones were ridiculously high, making his jaw extremely prominent. He glanced at Sarah briefly before looking back to Jareth. Sarah noticed in that brief moment that this man assumed the same cold mask that Jareth most always wore- his emotions were completely unreadable.

The woman who was trailing behind Jareth was absolutely stunning. Her gown, Sarah noticed, was exposing nearly her entire chest. Her makeup was very extravagant, making her dark grey eyes look very awake and alert. Her auburn hair was styled in a beautiful up-do, small curled pieces framing her face. Sarah noticed, then, that she was attached to Jareth at the hip. The familiarity of the woman was perplexing, Sarah thought to herself. She knew that she had seen this woman somewhere before. Sarah played with the fabric of her dress, ignoring the dark haired man's piercing stare from the other end of the table. That's when it hit her.

Sarah studied the gown she wore carefully. She averted her gaze back to Jareth, inspecting the clothing he wore, as well. It all made sense to her now.

_The ball._

Sarah thought back to that trance-like experience she had had with Jareth all those years ago. The outfits were the same. Her hair was nearly the same. Jareth's hair, tinted the same midnight blue, brought memories flooding back. Peering through the crowds of people to find that mane of hair. The blue coat.

The woman who was draping herself over Jareth as he stood there, staring at Sarah. _It was her._

The woman sat in the seat next to Jareth, obviously moving the chair closer to him. The dark haired man was continuing to stare Sarah down- she could feel his eyes burning into the side of her face. She didn't dare look up to meet those pale eyes, though. She looked to Jareth, his face blank and expressionless. Why would he invite guests over if he was going to act as if he didn't want them there?

"Jareth," a deep voice began. Sarah looked up at that moment, slightly startled by the shattered silence. "Would you care to introduce us to the fine lady who shall be dining with us this night?" he asked smoothly, gesturing to Sarah with a gloved hand.

"Of course, Nicholai. This, Your Highness, is my dear Sarah." Jareth reached across the table and grasped her hand softly in his. Sarah's palm was sweating. She had been in the room with these people for nearly two minutes and already she was extremely intimidated by them. The woman at Jareth's side shot Sarah a look of disgust before tousling her hair and returning to her flirty posture, puffing her chest back out.

This being the first time Sarah had heard Jareth refer to ANYONE as 'Your Highness,' Sarah automatically knew who the man was.

"Ah, yes. Sarah Williams. How are you enjoying you new life in the Underground?"

Sarah plastered a smile on her face. "I couldn't be happier," she lied.

Although she was enjoying learning about Jareth and his split personalities, she couldn't help but remember her life Aboveground. What were her parents thinking? What was Toby thinking? Did they think she was kidnapped? An image of her family gathered at the door, speaking with a police officer clouded her thoughts. What if they thought she was dead? Her eyes began to get misty as she thought about her younger brother crying over her 'death'. She dismissed the negative thoughts and focused on the people sitting before her now, if they were even people at all.

"Oh, how rude of me. I have yet to properly introduce myself. I am Nicholai, but surely you have heard Jareth speak of me." He stood and grasped Sarah's hand in his, bringing it to his lips. "I am the High King of the Underground."

Sarah's face flushed as he placed a kiss on her hand, looking into his eyes as he smirked at her. Her gaze was captured by his. She was so wrapped up in the seductive stare he was giving her that she did not realize that his eyes had gone from being a pale periwinkle to a dark, shadowy blue. Jareth clasped his hands together loudly, quickly bringing Sarah back to reality.

"Sarah, this is Carmella. She is a dear friend of Nicholai." Carmella pulled herself closer to Jareth, pressing her overflowing bust against his arm as she smiled brightly at Sarah. "Hello, deary," she said, a little too sweetly. Sarah nodded at her and smiled politely. She didn't like the looks of this woman. Not only did she make Sarah feel extremely self conscious, but she was also getting all up on Jareth.

Was it possible that Sarah was feeling a hint of _jealousy_? No way, she thought. There was nothing going on between her and Jareth, nothing to be protective over. However, she remembered, they were supposed to be getting married. _'I guess that sort of makes us something,'_ she thought, folding her napkin on her lap neatly. The first course was brought out, small conversation being made between the three Fae as they ate.

"And what about you, Sarah? How do you feel about becoming Queen?" Nicholai asked her seriously. His gaze captured hers again, but she quickly diverted hers to Jareth's face. He looked hopeful for a moment, before the emotionless mask was replaced, yet again. Sarah smiled sweetly at him. "I simply can not contain my excitement," she said crisply. Nicholai smirked, then looked back to his meal. The next three courses were painstakingly slow, and Sarah could no longer stand the sight of Carmella deliberately attempting to show off her body to Jareth. When it was finally over, she waited for the two Fae to leave before making her way to the door, as well.

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><p><strong>Hi, everyone! I would just like to thank you all so much for the sweet reviews. They really helped motivate me to write when I wasn't feeling up to it. Knowing that you all want me to update it makes writing it so much more fun and entertaining for me :)<strong>

**I would also like to thank you for giving me suggestions for improving the quality of my writing. I did attempt to make this chapter a bit longer than the others. There may be some mistakes, and I assure you I will proofread this after I finish studying/taking my semester exams. Off to study now! **

**Thanks again for reading! Don't forget to leave a review! :)**


	10. Seduction

**Going to put the author's note first, just because I have a few things to address and I don't want to forget them before I start writing again!**

**I, first of all, would like to thank everyone for leaving such wonderful reviews! I can't tell you how happy they make me. I'm so glad you guys are liking the story so far!**

**I would also like to add: Honoria Granger- thanks so much for your comments, love! I'm glad you like the fic! I wanted to tell you: It's funny that you say you have seen the name 'Carmella' before in other fics for the same character. I actually used a name generator to come up with that one, and I didn't realize it was popularly used for that character. I also thought it was funny because I used a vampire name generator, and you said the name reminded you of a vampire :P**

**Anyhow, thanks again, everyone, for reading! I hope you enjoy this update!**

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><p>Sarah listened closely to the clicking of her shoes on the polished marble floor. The sound seemed deafening with the bothersome migraine that had made itself known, causing the back of her head to feel as if it were pulsating.<p>

"Sarah!" she heard that all too familiar voice call out from behind her. Jareth stood from the table and made his way to her. "How did you enjoy dinner, my dear Sarah?" he asked, drawling her name slightly.

She honestly didn't know what to think about the whole encounter with the two Fae. One thing she knew for sure was that Carmella was a self-absorbed nuisance. Nearly throughout the whole four course meal, she did nothing but chat with Jareth, her chest overflowing from her clearly two-sizes-too-small corset. Although she knew that she had no reason to be jealous, there was still a part of her that absolutely despised the woman.

Nicholai was more respectable, she thought. He was very kind in introducing himself to her, remembering the brief moment his lips were against her hand. She felt her face flush, recounting the excessively long stare they had shared before the High King had reclaimed his seat at the table. All in all, though, Sarah didn't think it was all that bad.

"It was all right, actually," she said after a minute of thinking. Jareth nodded once and smiled at her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

He pulled her closer to him, looking down into her eyes. Although Sarah wore heels, she was still a good bit shorter than he. He brought one hand up to her face, stroking her cheek after tucking a stray piece of hair back behind her ear. Sarah's face was burning, she could feel it.

Jareth chuckled at the blush he caused to spread over her cheeks. Sarah, feeling extremely shy, found herself staring at his chest. She felt his gloved hand on her lower back rubbing small circles against her there, pressing their hips together tightly. She finally managed to look back to his face, after her cheeks felt cooler and the blush was less prominent. She stared into his eyes, searching for any emotion. As always, it seemed as though Jareth was completely detached from the situation, no emotion present in his mismatched eyes.

Sarah became frustrated. She knew that she had feelings for him. She came to accept, at last, that the feelings she had towards him were unavoidable. That they were _real_. Looking into his eyes now, she had no idea whether he felt the same towards her.

She shook her head slightly, hundreds of thoughts storming through her mind at once. The pounding in the back of her head only made the situation more strenuous. She looked back down, the bare flesh peeking out from his shirt begging her to touch him. She pressed her cold hand against his skin, looking back to his eyes.

He may not know how he feels about her, she thought, but she was going to make it perfectly clear about how she felt about him. She gave no more thought to the situation, crashing her lips onto his. She draped her hands around his neck as he pulled her closer, her entire body now pressed firmly against his slender frame. At first, the kiss was very one sided. Sarah had taken him by surprise, and Jareth did not immediately kiss her back. But after a few seconds, Jareth had dominated the kiss. She could feel his lips pulling into a smirk as the kiss went on. His tongue darted out and traced the shape of her lip before slipping into her mouth. Sarah moaned quietly, her body becoming limp. He was an amazing kisser, she noticed.

He finally pulled away, leaving her breathless and dazed. He, however, seemed as if he could have continued on forever, his breathing completely normal. Sarah untangled herself from him and smiled sweetly before continuing back to her room to prepare for bed.

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><p>Sarah quickly showered and climbed into bed, falling asleep almost instantly.<p>

_Sarah had a very familiar dream, one of ball gowns and chandeliers. The all too familiar scene was, she knew, the ballroom trance she had had while in the Labyrinth those many years ago. Her dress, the same she had worn to the dinner earlier that night, was in perfect condition. The masked faces around her were just as they were before- still grotesque. She began searching through the crowd, looking for that one man. After some time, she had finally found that mane of pale blonde hair, the midnight blue jacket embellished with brilliant jewels. _

_He grasped her and pulled her tiny frame against his, pressing every square inch of their bodies together. The couple was spinning around the room gracefully, their eyes never leaving each other's. Sarah caught a glimpse of the clock that was nestled in the corner of the ballroom. 'I have nothing to worry about now,' she said in the dream, adjusting her grip on Jareth's shoulder as they spun. She looked away momentarily, adjusting her footing, but when her eyes returned to her partner's, she was no longer gazing into the mismatched eyes of the Goblin King. She was gripped tightly against Nicholai, his eyes that same shadowy blue color as before. She tried to pull away, but the King was much stronger than she, and she had no chance of getting free from his strong grip around her waist. _

Sarah shot up in bed, her heart pounding. She had been in the same room with that man for all of two hours, and he was already haunting her dreams. She went to the bathroom to splash some cold water on face, trying to calm herself down. Laying back in bed, she stared at the ceiling for most of the night, unable to fall back asleep.

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><p>Sarah made it a point to get showered and ready in the morning before Borgia brought her breakfast. She wanted to find Jareth and talk to him about last night. She had so many questions clouding her thoughts that she couldn't concentrate.<p>

She wolfed down the toast and yogurt the maid had brought, then made her way to the library. Ever since the day Jareth had given her the map, that had been their meeting place. Sure enough, he was there, flipping through a book as he lounged in one of the comfortable chairs, one leg draped casually over the arm of it. He straightened his posture as she entered, quietly closing the tall door behind her.

"Hi," she spoke quietly, making her way to the adjacent chair. He gave her a warm smile as she approached.

"I wanted to talk to you about a few things," she began. Although she knew she wanted to talk to Jareth, she had no idea where to start. She scanned his face before composing her thoughts completely. "Why did you have us wear the same costumes as the ballroom dream?" she asked, her face serious. She wasn't upset, but in order to get a straight answer, she thought, she might as well seem a bit assertive. He nodded and smirked at her. "My precious, could it not be because I adore that particular gown on your body?" He wore a self-satisfied grin as he finished speaking, Sarah's face flushing crimson. She shook her head, kicking herself for blushing at his every word.

"All right," she said, her voice smooth. "Last night, I had a dream," she began. "You were in it, for a moment, but then Nicholai was there." The smirk seemed to fly from Jareth's face. "And what had happened in said dream, Sarah?" he asked sharply, his jaw clenched.

"Nothing, nothing happened. We were dancing together, and then... Nicholai was with me. I... I don't know. I surely didn't want to dream of dancing with him," she said quietly. "Then I woke up. Nothing else happened."

Jareth looked beyond angry. "It was just a dream, Jareth," Sarah spoke, attempting to comfort him. Jareth shook his head and sprung up from the chair, pacing in front of her. "No, Sarah," he said quickly. "This is no matter that we can just brush off. You must not understand the power of Nicholai. What he's capable of..." His deep voice trailed off, Jareth now mumbling to himself.

"What do you mean?" Sarah asked, confusion evident on her features. Jareth stopped his frantic pacing and stood in front of her. "Nicholai is very strong for a Fae, Sarah. He has much more power than I could ever imagine possessing." Still clueless, Sarah waited for further explanation.

"In other words," he continued, clasping his gloved hands together, "he was completely controlling your dreams."

Sarah shook her head, resting it in her hands, her elbows on her knees. She looked back up to him, raising an eyebrow. "Isn't that about the same thing you did to me when I ran your Labyrinth?" she quizzed.

He smirked at her. "No, my dear Sarah. I simply gave you what you wanted most." Sarah shook her head, smiling to herself.

"Anyhow," he continued, "that man had no business modifying your dreams for his pleasure." He looked at Sarah for a moment before he continued pacing. "I... I'm sorry," Sarah whispered.

Jareth stopped immediately, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her from the chair. He held her close, looking into her eyes. "Sarah," he said, caressing her cheek gently. "This is not your fault. I do not want you to think that any part of this predicament is your fault, all right?" he said seriously in his raspy voice. Sarah nodded, her face heating up as she recognized the feeling of his breath caressing her lips.

Jareth's gaze flicked quickly to her lips, then shifted back to her piercing green eyes. He pressed his lips to hers for a moment, then pulled away, looking back to her eyes. They remained closed, slightly fluttering open. Before she could fully open them, his lips were crashing back onto hers again. Sarah felt one gloved hand gliding down her back, resting on her waist. Very quickly, the kiss became more passionate, deeper. Jareth spun Sarah around and pressed her against the gigantic bookcase, his hips pinning her there. He kept one hand on her waist, the other drifting up her neck and into her hair. Sarah let her hands roam over his chest and at the nape of his neck, tangling her fingers in the soft blonde hair there. She pulled away, breathless. Jareth pressed his forehead against hers, listening to her breathing calm down and her heart pounding.

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><p>The day was passing by slowly for Sarah, so she decided to spend some time with Hoggle. She invited him to eat lunch with her in the dining room, asking Jareth's permissions first, of course. As she had expected, he gave her some trouble about it, but he eventually let it go and allowed her to eat with her friend. "He is to get right back to work when you are finished," he said sharply. Sarah nodded and placed a kiss on his cheek before gracefully leaving to meet Hoggle in the dining room.<p>

"Hi Hoggle!" she greeted him cheerfully. Hoggle nodded and sat down at the table across from her. "How are you?" she asked him. Hoggle shook his head. "Sarah, why's are ya acting like everything is okay?" Sarah shot him a confused look as she served herself some fruit. "What do you mean, Hoggle? I'm fine," she replied.

"Sarah," he paused. "Why did ya let him kiss you like that?" Sarah's face flushed. He must have seen them in the library. "Hoggle," she began, her voice calm, "I know that you are not very fond of Jareth." She paused, trying to think of the right thing to say. "I just... I feel differently about him now. He isn't as evil as he seems. He can be very compassionate." She looked away from Hoggle for a moment, playing with the hem of her gown. "We are to get married soon, Hoggle. I can't act as if I have no feelings for him."

Hoggle shook his head. "Do ya remember whats I told ya about him?" he asked her seriously. Sarah thought back to all the conversations they had had since she returned.

_'Jareth hasn't always been the most loyal man.'_

Hoggle's voice rang through her head. What did he mean?

"I do," she said quietly. She shook her head. As long as she had been here, he hadn't displayed any signs that he was not loyal. Maybe Hoggle was wrong. Or maybe he was just biased and was trying to keep her from falling, or perhaps she should say falling any _deeper_, in love with Jareth.

"I don't understand," she said. "He doesn't seem unfaithful. What do you mean?" Hoggle looked away from her. "Have you met Carmella?" he asked her, his voice low. Sarah nodded, although it was still unclear. Jareth hadn't given that woman a single glance. What did Hoggle mean? "I don't understand," she repeated.

"Don't say I didn't warn ya," he said quietly before he stood from the table and left her sitting there alone.

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><p>Jareth quickly scrawled a note on a piece of paper, slipping it under Sarah's door before he made his way out of the castle. He exited the tall, metal doors before transforming into an owl, taking flight into the cool night air.<p>

Where he was going, he was unsure. His initial idea was to just clear his conscience. He was beyond angry with Nicholai for manipulating his Sarah's dreams. He thought long and hard about how he was going to handle it, hesitantly scratching the High King's death off his list of ideas. He flew for nearly an hour before deciding on his destination.

He landed gracefully on a stone ledge, peering in through the windowpane before him. Inside was Carmella, sitting at her vanity, brushing her long, red hair. Jareth quickly opened the window and slinked in, now in his Fae form again. Carmella glanced at his reflection in the mirror, then looked back to her own.

"Had enough of that little human girl?" she asked him, her voice smooth. She loosened the tie on her black silk robe, slightly exposing more of her chest. Her pale skin shone against the black material of the robe, making her look pallid. She gracefully sauntered to Jareth's side, tousling her hair a bit before coming face to face with him. He looked her up and down, his face emotionless.

"It is so kind of you to come and visit me," she began again, circling him hungrily. "I've missed you," she said quietly, her voice seductive. She reached out and touched his bare chest, pulling herself closer to his slim body.

Jareth brushed her away, moving past her to lounge on the chaise positioned in the corner of the room. "I have not come for you to seduce me into your bed again, Carmella," he spat at her. Carmella's eyes grew dark, her body tense.

"What is it that you adore so much about that human girl, Jareth?" she asked him sharply. "I am a much better lover," she continued dramatically.

"I am here," he began, rising from the chair, "to discuss Nicholai." Carmella sat back down at the vanity, continuing to brush her dark auburn locks. "What of him?" she asked, never looking from her reflection.

Jareth moved behind her, bending down to speak into her ear. "He is tormenting my dear Sarah, and I have had quite enough of it." Carmella's eyes fluttered closed at the feeling of his breath on her neck. Jareth looked to her reflection, quite aware of what he was doing to her. He ran his hand over her neck, feeling the pulse there. "I would like you to speak to him about it," he began again, moving his hands back to her shoulders. Carmella opened her eyes slowly, realizing what he was doing.

"Goblin King," she said, standing again. "Are you seducing me into doing your dirty work?" she asked him seriously, her mouth twitching into a sinister smirk. Jareth's face was, once again, emotionless. "Of course not," he said sharply. "I'm simply telling you to do it." He turned and paced around the room, slowly making his way back to the window.

As he opened it, Carmella spoke. "And what if I do not?" she asked him, her voice urgent. Jareth spun around on his heels, looking at her directly in the eyes. He quickly walked back to her, wrapping a hand around her throat. Carmella gasped, pressing her hands against his chest. He turned her slightly, his lips close to her ear. "You would regret it very much," he breathed, sending shivers down her spine. He turned her head back to face him, glaring into her eyes.

"Please," she said quietly, her breathing slightly labored. Jareth released his grip on her neck and Carmella grabbed his arm quickly. "Stay," she said, her eyes dark and seductive. She loosened the black material around her body even more, the thin robe almost slipping off her body. Jareth looked her up and down, hungrily drinking in the sight of her. Carmella pulled him towards her bed, the silk cloth falling from her shoulders and landing in a pool on the floor at the foot of the bed.

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><p><strong>Don't hate me. I needed to add drama!<strong>


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